Stable comparison of multidimensional persistent homology groups with torsion (Q1947023)

Let \(X\) be a topological space, and \(\phi: X \rightarrow {\mathbb R}^{n}\) a continuous function. If \(u= (u_{1}, \dots , u_{n})\) and \(v = (v_{1}, \dots, v_{n})\) are points in \({\mathbb R}^{n}\) define \(u \preceq v\) if \(u_{i} \leq v_{i}, i=1, \dots, n\). Then the image of the inclusion map \(H_{k}(X\langle \phi \preceq u\rangle) \rightarrow H_{k}(X\langle \phi \preceq v\rangle)\), denoted by the symbol \(H_{k}^{(X,\phi)}((u,v)\) represents the homology classes of cycles born before or at \(u\) that survive until \(v\). Thus the function \(H_{k}^{(X,\phi)}\) is called the \(k\)-th persistent homology group of \((X,\phi)\). When the coefficients for the homology are not taken to be in a field then the persistent homology can have torsion. This arises for example in the study of grasping by a robotic hand. It is desirable to show that the persistent homology is stable under perturbations of the function \(\phi\). In the case where no torsion arises, as happens with coefficients in a field, this can be shown using persistence diagrams. This paper introduces a pseudo-distance between persistent homology groups that can be used to show stability results for persistent homology in the presence of torsion.